Modular composite building panel

ABSTRACT

The present invention generally relates to a composite building panel having at least a core portion, and at least four reinforcement members each fixed to an edge of the core. A first reinforcement member features a first reinforcement element at a first side portion thereof. A second reinforcement member features a second reinforcement element at a second side portion thereof. The first and second reinforcement elements each have a configuration to provide a rigid and load bearing relationship between first and second reinforcement elements of an adjacently connected second composite building panel, respectively. A channel is defined in the reinforcement members to allow services to be run therethrough. Multiple composite building panels can be interconnected and sandwiched between exterior side panels. The reinforcement elements can be a tongue and groove or a spline and groove configuration.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) to Australia (AU) patent application number 2014904851 filed Dec. 1, 2014, which AU patent application 2014904851 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a modular composite building panel and in particular a high shear stress load bearing composite panel constructed from one or more smaller modules each having horizontal and vertical members that when fixed together create “I” beam or box sections that greatly enhance the strength of the resulting composite panel.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is known to use composite building panels for the construction of walls, floors, ceilings etc. in a building. Prior art composite building panels are arranged in various configurations including a laminate or sandwich panel which comprise opposed external side members connected together and spaced apart by an internal core.

Generally the respective side members are individually bonded to the core using an adhesive.

Typically, the external side members and the internal core of a composite building panel are made from materials having very different properties and strength characteristics and often the panel will be arranged with the external side member being thin and stiff whereas the core is generally low strength low density material. This particular combination, also known as a sandwich panel, provides a low weight panel having a high bending stiffness.

A problem with prior art composite building panels resides in the strength characteristics of the panel when exposed to load which introduces shear forces within the panel. Such shear forces occur when one external side member is in tension and the opposed external member is in compression. Sandwich panels are in particular prone to “de-lamination” where an external side member can become separated from the core due to a failure of an adhesive bond between the side member and the core.

Similarly, due to the relatively low strength characteristics of the core material, the core itself can split or fracture under shear forces. This is a particular problem for some materials such as for example phenolic foam which has the desirable properties of high fire resistance and insulation properties together with a low toxicity emission in a fire but has a low tolerance to resist shear forces.

Accordingly, it is known for a prior art composite building panel of a building construction when exposed to a shear force to fail, becoming cracked and/or become de-laminated thereby compromising the structural integrity of the composite building panel resulting in the building construction becoming unsafe and costly to repair.

A further problem with prior art composite building panels resides in the lack of suitable provision for services such as power, water and gas. Typically the services will be installed according to the original wall design or will be left out altogether and require chasing out of the wall in constructed form. Alterations after initial design and construction of the panel are thus costly and may create toxic emissions.

A further problem with prior art composite building panels resides in the fact that it is difficult to achieve the impact rating for cyclone and tornado prone regions without incurring significant weight and cost issues.

While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a modular composite building panel that allows enhancing the strength of the resulting composite panel.

Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved modular composite building panel that can be used for enhancing the strength of the resulting composite panel. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the modular composite building panel according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provide an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of enhancing the strength of the resulting composite panel.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of composite building panels now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved modular composite building panel, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved modular composite building panel and method which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a modular composite building panel which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.

An object of the present invention relates to a composite building panel module having the provision of a load bearing reinforcement means integral with and placed around the core.

A further object of the present invention is that the reinforcement means shall also provide a means for the provision of services.

A further object of the present invention is that the reinforcement means shall also provide a means for the anchoring of the roof structure to the foundation

A further object of the present invention relates to the provision of a composite building panel having improved shear strength.

A further object of the present invention relates to a method of making a unitary form composite building panel from joining together one or more composite building panel modules and fixing the opposing members to the one or more modules.

Yet a further object of the present invention relates to a method of building construction, the method comprising an offsite pre-fabrication of a unitary form composite building panel made to the dimensions and requirements of a construction wall, roof section, floor etc. and transported to the building site for use in construction,

The present invention essentially comprises a composite building panel having at least a core portion, and at least four reinforcement members each fixed to an edge of the core. A first reinforcement member features a first reinforcement element at a first side portion thereof. A second reinforcement member features a second reinforcement element at a second side portion thereof. The first and second reinforcement elements each have a configuration to provide a rigid and load bearing relationship between first and second reinforcement elements of an adjacently connected second composite building panel, respectively.

Multiple composite building panels can be interconnected and sandwiched between exterior side panels. Additionally, the reinforcement elements can be a tongue and groove or a spline and groove configuration.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.

The invention may also include a channel is defined in the reinforcement members to allow services to be run therethrough.

There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently described, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved modular composite building panel that has all of the advantages of the prior art composite building panels and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved modular composite building panel that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved modular composite building panel that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such modular composite building panel economically available to the buying public.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new modular composite building panel that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a modular composite building panel for enhancing the strength of the resulting composite panel. This allows a high shear stress load bearing composite panel.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is side planar view of a composite building panel module showing reinforcing members encompassing a foam core.

FIG. 2 shows an end view of a Building panel module.

FIG. 3 a cross-sectional view of a profile of reinforcing members indicating the service channels and interlocking mechanism of the first and second reinforcement elements of adjacent composite panels, taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of a composite building panel using 3 reinforcing modules.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a unitary composite panel with embedded window indicating how varying the size of the modules can create the desired strength.

FIG. 6 a partial cross-sectional view of a profile of a rigid reinforcing member including a spline member and a spline channel

FIG. 7 illustrates three modules joined together using the spline member of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows views of a fiber mesh applied to the sides of the foam core.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the fiber mesh and foam core taken along line 9-9 in FIG. 8.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-9, an embodiment of the modular composite building panel of the present invention is shown and described.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a composite building panel module comprising a core portion and four reinforcement members each being fixed to an edge of the core, wherein the composite building panel module comprises reinforcement means adapted to provide a rigid and load bearing relationship between the first and second side portions of the composite building panel and to provide a channel through which services may be distributed.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention can include a reinforcing mesh that may be provided to the opposing sides of the foam core to provide increased impact strength.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention a unitary form composite building panel is provided, the unitary form composite building panel comprising a first side portion and an opposed second side portion, the first and second side portions being spaced apart and connected together by a plurality of modules wherein the unitary form composite building panel comprises at least one module thereby providing a rigid and load bearing relationship between the first side portion and the second side portion.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of building construction comprising at least the steps of a) pre-fabricating a unitary form composite building panel according to the dimensions and requirements of a semi-finished or finished building member at an offsite location, b) transporting the unitary form composite building panel to a building construction site, and c) fitting and securing the unitary form composite building panel in place to form the semi-finished or finished building member.

Preferably, the reinforcing members comprise a rigid material and preferably a fire resistant fiber reinforced polymer.

Preferably, the core portion comprises a fire resistant material and preferably a phenolic foam.

Preferably the reinforcing mesh comprises a fire resistant fiber.

The present invention will now be described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Example 1

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a composite building panel module 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a composite building panel 10, two horizontal reinforcement members 12, and two vertical reinforcement members 13, an interlocking tongue 14, an interlocking groove 15 and a foam core 11. It can be appreciated that the composite building panel 10 can include additional side members producing additional geometrical configurations.

In this embodiment of the present invention the core portion 11 comprises a fire resistant material and preferably phenolic foam.

Referring to FIG. 2 there is shown an end view of the composite building panel module 10 with “t” being the thickness of the foam core and also the reinforcing members.

Referring to FIG. 3 there are shown profiles of two interlocking reinforcing members where 16 is the male part and 18 is the female part.

In this embodiment of the invention “t” is the thickness of the foam core and also the reinforcement members, the groove 15 has a depth of “d” and the tongue 14 has a depth of “d”' being d−3 mm to allow for an adhesive sink. Separate channels 19 are created in the reinforcing members 12, 13 by a dividing member 17 so that services may be inserted into these channels without conflict.

Referring to FIG. 4 there is a top view of a composite building panel 20 incorporating multiple composite building panel modules 10. The composite building panel 20 includes a first side portion 21, a second side portion 22, and at least two interlocking composite building panel modules 10 sandwiched between the first and second side portions 21, 22.

Each module 10 consists of a hollow groove member 15 on one edge, a hollow tongue member 14 on the opposite edge, and two hollow rectangular members 12 at the top and two hollow rectangular members 12 at the bottom of the module 10.

The composite building panel 20 thus comprises a means to reinforce the connection between the first and second side members 21, 22 by adhering the sides to the reinforcement modules 20 in so doing greatly increasing the compressive and shear strengths of the composite building panel.

Referring to FIG. 5 there is shown an embodiment of a unitary composite building panel 30, where it can be seen that a window 35 is embedded in the panel. The unitary composite building panel 30 includes modules 31 that create a lintel, and modules 32, 33 and 34 that create the window frame and support. It can be appreciated that the modules 31, 32, 33 or 34 can be each or alternatively the composite building panel module 10 and/or the composite building panel 20.

Example 2

FIG. 6 shows a profile of an alternate embodiment composite panel module 40 including a foam core 42, a first rigid reinforcing member 44 which is a spline channel and a second rigid reinforcing member 48 which is a hollow rectangular member or spline.

The foam core 42 which may have a rebate or recess to allow the spline channel to fit flush with the core surface.

The profile of the spline channel creates a groove 46 in the reinforcing member 44 and the size of this groove determines the dimensions of the spline 48 where the depth of the groove “d” and width of the groove “w” give rise to the spline dimensions according to the following relationship:

width of spline=w−2 mm; and

depth of spline=2d−2 mm

where the 2 mm is an allowance for adhesive. Thus when the spline 48 is fixed to the groove 46 in a module or panel the spine will protrude by half its depth creating a tongue to interlock with the adjacent groove.

FIG. 7 illustrates how three modules 40 may be joined together to create a panel 50 using the spline member 48.

Referring to FIG. 7 there is shown an embodiment of a modular composite building panel 50 consisting of a first side portion or member 52 and an opposing second side portion or member 54, a horizontal spline channel 56, a spline 48 and an adhesive 58.

It can be seen that the spline 48 being hollow offers the ability to insert services and steel tie down rods when required and also provides an additional structural member thus enhancing strength and stiffness of the panel 50.

Example 3

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 there is shown views of an alternate embodiment composite building panel 60 being a mesh covered foam core. The mesh covered foam core 60 includes a fiber mesh 62, and a foam core 64. It is understood that the fiber thickness and cell size of the mesh 62 can be varied to suit the final properties required. It can be appreciated that the mesh 62 can be included with and/or in the foam core 11, 42 and/or the first and second side portions/members 21, 22, 52, 54.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that any particular features of an entire wall, roof section, floor etc. may be incorporated into a single unitary form composite building panel 20, 50 as required; such features may include for example electrical and plumbing conduits and/or window and door frames.

This is easily achieved by modifying the size and position of the composite building panel modules within the unitary building panel.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

While embodiments of the modular composite building panel have been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. For example, any suitable sturdy material may be used instead of any above-described material.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:
 1. A composite building panel comprising: a core portion; and at least four reinforcement members each being fixed to an edge of said core, respectively, said reinforcement members featuring a first reinforcement member including a first reinforcement element at a first side portion thereof, and a second reinforcement member including a second reinforcement element at a second side portion thereof, said first and second reinforcement elements each having a configuration to provide a rigid and load bearing relationship between first and second reinforcement elements of an adjacently connected second composite building panel, respectively.
 2. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second reinforcement elements are located on opposite sides of said composite building panel.
 3. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first reinforcement element is a tongue, and said second reinforcement element is a groove having a configuration capable of receiving a tongue of said adjacently connected second composite building panel.
 4. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tongue includes tapering side walls exteriorly converging, and said groove includes tapering side walls interiorly converging.
 5. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 4, wherein said core portion and said reinforcement members each defines a thickness “t”, said groove defines a depth “d”, and a depth of said tongue substantially has a relationship of d−3 mm thereby defining a gap having a configuration capable of receiving an adhesive.
 6. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a third and fourth reinforcement members each include said second reinforcement element.
 7. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said core portion is a foam core portion.
 8. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a reinforcing mesh provided to opposing sides of said core portion.
 9. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a first side portion and an opposed second side portion, said first and second side portions being spaced apart and connected together by a plurality of adjacently connected said composite building panels.
 10. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one divider located inside said reinforcement members to define channels through which services are distributed.
 11. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second reinforcement elements are each a spline channel defining a groove with a configuration capable of receiving a portion of a spline.
 12. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 11, wherein said core portion has a rebate having a configuration allowing said four reinforcement members to fit flush with an exterior surface of said core portion.
 13. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein a third and fourth reinforcement members each include said spline channel.
 14. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spline is a hollow rectangular member.
 15. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 11, wherein said groove defines a depth “d” and a width “w”, and a width of said spline substantially has a relationship of w−2 mm, and a depth of said spline substantially has a relationship of 2d−2 mm.
 16. The composite building panel as claimed in 11, wherein a gap is defined between said spline and a surface defining said groove, with said gap being filled with an adhesive.
 17. The composite building panel as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a first side portion and an opposed second side portion, said first and second side portions being spaced apart and connected together by a plurality of adjacently connected said composite building panels. 